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Makomo Resources plans to increase its output to about 300 000 tonnes per month

Bianca Mlilo recently in Hwange
COAL miner Makomo Resources plans to increase its output to about 300 000 tonnes per month within the next two years when its capitalisation programme is expected to take effect.

Makomo is currently the country’s largest producer and supplier of coal given the demise of Hwange Colliery Company Limited.

Speaking during a tour of the mine on Friday, Makomo Resources general manager Mr Samson Mabvira said the mine presently produces about 160 000 tonnes of coal per month.

“We are looking at doubling production of coal from the 160 000 tonnes per month we’re producing now to about 300 000 tonnes in about two years,” he said.

“This will be made possible by a capitalisation venture we’re working on so that we can increase production and in the long run record higher profits.”

He said when the coal mining concern started operations in 2010, their aim and mandate was to stabilise coal supply in the country. The company reached its peak production in 2013 but in 2014 and 2015 production was low due to reduced delivery to the Zimbabwe Power Company.

Mr Mabvira said their aim going forward was to surpass their 2013 production (which was the highest at 186 000 tonnes per month), and were targeting to go beyond 200 000 tonnes by end of the year.

In a related issue, Makomo Resources executive director Mr Raymond Mutokonyi told Business Chronicle that business was going well for them, as evidenced by the rise in exports and local demand.

“Our company is recording increased exports this year, evidenced by an 18 percent increase compared to last year. We’re now exporting more to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Zambia and Malawi,” he said.

“We’ve also recorded a 17-23 percent uptake in local demand and we would like to believe this has been as a result of the quality of coal we produce and its acceptance by the market.”

Makomo owns one of the two dense medium separators found in sub-Saharan Africa. A dense medium separator is a beneficiation technology, which separates coal according to density.

Mr Mutokonyi also said the company was still in negotiations with the four foreign firms that had shown interest in dealing with them during this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

He, however, could not be drawn into disclosing their names, citing trade secrets.

Makomo is jointly-owned entity by Zimbabwean and South African investors, with those from the neighbouring country holding a 40 percent stake.

@BiancaMlilo